Last year I had the pleasure of being selected as a brand ambassador for Mini Backdrops. Over four months have passed since I received my choice of designs, so my three-month stint is already up. Still, I like them so much, I want to share some of the benefits I particularly have come to appreciate about Mini Backdrops.

So, you acquired a DSLR in the hopes of taking better photos or you plan to in the near future. To fully maximise the potential of that snazzy new camera, you want to know how to use it. That means learning the basic functions and how to control the exposure. Photography is about capturing your subjects as well as the light in the best possible way. To help you with that, here’s a primer on stepping up book photography with a DSLR.

During the dark December days it’s difficult to make use of daylight for book photography. Taking photos by the window is much easier in summer. In winter or during monsoon seasons, it can be fairly dark, even by the windows. I try to combat that by taking photos outdoors but that doesn’t work in torrents of rain. This means I have to make do with window light.

Once in a while I see people lament that they don’t have a good camera to take photos. They wish they had a snazzy DSLR with which they could take nicer photos for bookstagram. The thing is, as beautiful as photos taken with DSLRs can be, it’s not just about the camera. Yes, clarity and sharpness do matter, so a good camera does make a difference. However, in many cases our smartphone cameras are good enough to produce quality photos.